From hate to love, from love to lust
by Too Young Too Dumb
Summary: You've just met, she's your roommate and she has a girlfriend. Oh, and you forgot to mention that you are supposed to be straight. So that's just a big 'no'. But this girl here just comes into your life making you realize how you aren't straight at all. You hate her because of what she's making you feel. But deep down you know that from hate to love there's just one step.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello, guys, this is actually my first fic so I hope it doesn't suck _that_ much. Everyone is giving it a shot with Paily College AU, so I thought 'Why not?'. So here is the first chapter and I hope you like it.

* * *

Your hands shake and your mind is running wild. The change from Rosewood to _this _is enormous.

"Come on, Emily, get a move on!" Spencer urges you and you oblige, dragging your belongings behind you

There's a somewhat blinding sun, a light freshness in the air and there's this enormous sign that says 'UPenn' in case you doubt where you are.

"This is going to be _so _cool." Hanna says while jumping up and down

"I'm so glad we all chose UPenn." Aria chimes in while doing the same as Hanna

You chuckle lightly and both Spencer and you watch the other two interact.

"It's going to be a long semester." Spencer mutters softly and you totally agree

"Oh, shut it, Spence. Your life would be even _more _boring without me." Hanna brags while pointing towards herself

"You mean _us._" Aria cuts her off as Hanna sticks her tongue mocking her

That small gesture begins a fight that goes on until you get to the dorms.

"Girls, stop it, we're here."

"You are such a party pooper, Spence."

"I am not, Hanna."

"Guys, stop it."

"I agree with Aria, it's our first day and we are already attracting too much attention."

Hanna mumbles something under her breath as you start walking towards your respective room. Spencer and her ended up being together, so Aria just walks you to your room and leaves immediately after.

Thousands of thoughts about how your roommate will be like run through your head, but none prepare you for what you see as you open the door.

She's beautiful. So beautiful that you just stay there gaping at her. Her smooth skin makes a contrast with her long brown hair, and her beautiful cinnamon eyes make your knees go weak. She's definitely toned _and _slightly tanned; maybe she plays basketball or soccer? She's got a sleeveless shirt on and washed out jeans accompanied by some headphones, and she's dancing to a soft pop beat you don't recognize. When she finally turns around, you feel like a deer in headlights.

"Oh, you must be Emily." She says softly as she takes her headphones off and walks towards you with a perfect smile

"I'm Paige." She tells you while shaking your hand softly, the smile never leaving her face

"Nice to meet you, Paige." You find your voice and her smile gets even brighter

She lets go of your hand and it all ends too fast; you fall for her too fast. You try to get a grip of your emotions because all these things you're feeling are too new and foreign. This girl is making you _feel _after you've been numb for months since your break-up with Ben.

"Which bed do you want?" She asks taking you out of your trance and it takes all your strength for you to focus on her words and not on her lips

"I guess th-that both are fine. I mean, I don't care which one." You stutter out and Paige just raises her eyebrow

"_Okaaay_…" she drags the word softly and is about to add something, but the conversation is cut off by the door opening and you blink as you see Aria and another girl getting in.

The girl is like a breath of fresh air, with golden locks cascading down her back and pale skin that contrasts with the floral dress she's wearing. She's the complete opposite of Paige, but there's a nagging feeling that tells you they fit together.

There's a short silence until Aria introduces herself.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt. I'm Aria."

"No prob, we were just deciding who'd take which bed. You are Carls- I mean, Carly's roommate?"

"Carls?" you voice your confusion making the three other girls in the room turn around

"Oh, sorry, it totally slipped my mind. I'm Carly, Paige's girlfriend."

The look in Paige's face is priceless and you'd laugh if you weren't in the same situation.

"Carly, I- I hadn't told her yet." Its Paige turn to stutter and the air is tense for a moment

"Don't worry, Paige. It's totally fine, right Em?" Aria urges you to answer with her eyes and the words that out of your mouth are the complete opposite of what you've in mind.

"Yeah, _totally _fine."

The air is no longer tense and the conversation is relaxed, talking about how great it will be and all those silly things you'd totally be gushing of if it weren't for how cute they look together, Paige's arm around Carly's waist while Carly rests her body in Paige's.

As your eyes lock with Paige's, you heart falls out of its rhythmic beat making your breathing go erratic, too. You look away and from the corner of your eye, you see Paige struggling over _something_.

'These feelings need to stop.' You say to yourself as you try to calm down

You are straight and you are just jealous because they are happy and you aren't since Ben broke up with you. That's what you try to tell to yourself. But the truth is that you don't want them to stop; you'll never want them to stop.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hello, guys. Wow, I can't believe the amount of follows, favorites and reviews this story already has. I'm so happy because, hopefully, you are enjoying the story.

In response to Plamin24's review: Thanks! I hope you keep on reading. I know, I'll try to update at least every three days because you know, father's day and vacations.

And to both Guests: Thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy the story too.

So, with that said, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

It's been a month since you first met her. You've been really busy trying to get to know the campus and attending to classes, so you've talked to her just a few times. But you've learned that you've got some things in common: you are both avid readers, Dr. Who fans and both of you are here because of a swimming scholarship. Also, you've picked up little bits of her life like that she was originally from Rosewood but moved to Scranton because of her parents, or that she once had a hamster named Steve but that her mother gave it away because she hated it, and that, well... that she's been with Carly for five months.

The fact that they've been together for just five months makes you happy; and that's what bothers you. You should be indifferent because it's none of your business. But still there's something about this girl that keeps drawing you in.

You're finally getting around the fact that _maybe_ you are gay. And now that you think about it, there were some hints of you being gay all your life. Like when you had a crush with that girl Lily from that silly Disney show you used to watch, or when you usually found yourself checking out girls instead of boys at parties. You blamed the first on her being your favorite character and you blamed the second on the alcohol. But there was a part of you that always knew something was off every time you were with Ben or any other boy. And now that you've met Paige, maybe all those repressed feelings are fin-

"So…" says the girl you've been thinking of day and night interrupting your train of thought

"So?" you question her as you close the book you were trying to read

"Do you want to hang out? Maybe go for a coffee or something?"

Your heart falls out of sync as she says those words. You try to comprehend what she's just said, but your mind goes blank as you stare at her.

"We're roommates, so I-I was thinking that maybe we should to know each other better." As soon as the words get out of her mind she blushes even more

"I m-mean, like friends, you know? We are just friends. Not that you aren't… you know, beau- pretty. Be-Because you are. Oh my god, this is so embarrassing. I'm sorry; we don't have to go any-"

You stop her ranting by gently touching her shoulder.

"Calm down, Paige. I get it." You say with a smile and you her taking a deep breath

You leave her side and grab your jacket as you head towards the door.

"Well? Get a move on, McCullers. I want my coffee and I want it now."

She smiles at your words and you find yourself smiles too.

As you walk down the halls, coffee in hand, heading towards your room your mind is once again running wild.

"Hey, Em."

You turn around at the sound of your name and you are met with her softly smiling.

"Thank you, for everything."

Her words and all of her make you fall harder for her.

"It's nothing, really. Because from now on, you owe me daily coffees."

"In your dreams, Fields." she says with a playful smile and slightly pushes you and makes a run for it

'If only she knew.'

* * *

A/N(Continued): Just before I was about to upload the chapter, a new review was submitted.

So, to Guest Three: I actually think the same, but I've never been good at writing in third person. I actually spent a whole day trying to write the first chap like that, but I failed miserably. I'll try, though, in the next chaps.

Tell me what you think guys. Feedback is always welcomed!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for not updating yesterday. Life is pretty hectic, so I didn't have time to upload the chap. Anyways, thank you for your continued support.

In response to Guest: Your review had me smiling for a along time, seriously. I'll try to write longer chaps, you deserve them (:

In response to Ms: your opinion matters a lot, it's what keeps me writing (: I was thinking that maybe I could write some chaps with Paige's POV, dunno.

In response to Jes Angell: I hope you enjoy this update, and as I've already said, I'll try to write longer chaps for you guys.

Once again, thanks for the story alerts and story favorites (:

* * *

"Hey, Earth to Em!" Hanna says while frantically waving her hand in front of your face

You shake your head lightly and face her immediately after.

"Finally." Spencer grumbles by your side and Aria smiles at you sympathetically when you look at her

"You had been staring at Paige's face for like, ten minutes or something. It was starting to get creepy, seriously." Hanna clarifies as she sips at her coffee and you finally notice Paige's blush adorning her features

"Smooth, Hanna; really smooth." Spencer admonishes and Hanna just smiles at her as if what she had said was a compliment

"Anyways, what were we talking about?" Aria asks while elbowing Hanna, successfully stopping her from saying something else

"I think we were talking about the schedules." You softly intervene and the four girls just stare at you with confused looks in their faces

"That was, ages ago, Em." Spencer whispers by your ear as the rest of the girls continue to stare at you

"You would have noticed if you hadn't been checking McCullers ou-"

"I think we've all understood already, Hanna." Paige cuts her off and looks everywhere but at you

Hanna mutters something under her breath about Paige 'ruining the fun', but none of you pay much attention to the comment.

"So… when are you going to tell her?" Spencer asks and you see Paige squirm in her seat

"I don't know." Paige answers softly as she keeps avoiding your gaze

"You know you can't wait that much to tell her, right? She loves you."

Your heartbeat goes crazy as Spencer says does words. Spencer knows? More importantly, Paige knows?

"I know, Spence. It's just… it's complicated."

The table is silent for some seconds and you try to calm yourself

"Why is it complicated? Carly has already said it, so why haven't you?"

Everything falls apart as soon as she's mentioned. You should have known it was about her and not you before getting worked up.

"It's not that simple, Hanna. I do love her." Paige says emphasizing the last part

"Then? What's stopping you from saying it? It's not like there's someone else."

The moment the words fall out of Hanna's mouth, Paige freezes visibly.

"Oh God. There is someone else!" Hanna says in realization and starts jumping up and down in her seat

"Hanna, shut it." Paige whispers aggressively while covering her mouth, but that doesn't stop the blonde of getting even more excited

When Paige finally uncovers Hanna's mouth, the blonde wastes no time in talking.

"You so have to tell us who is it."

In that exact moment, Paige's phone starts blowing up and it takes all your self-control for you to not curse at the timing.

"Sorry guys, its Carly. I have to go see her." She says apologetically but it's obvious she's glad of getting away

"We'll find out who it is; One way or another, McCullers!" Hanna warns Paige and your roommate just laughs

"I doubt it. Later."

You are all silent for a minute until Spencer voices her opinion.

"That was… unexpected."

You all agree, and soon, the topic is forgotten as Hanna starts ranting about how awesome her relationship with Caleb is.

But you can't help but wonder who that girl that has Paige's attention is.

* * *

It's been a week since Paige's confession and you are still trying to discover who the girl is. Lately, Paige's been really distant, so after days of planning, you've decided to ambush her.

So finally, after waiting for hours, you hear the door opening slowly. As she steps into the room you notice her attire. Her hair is pulled into a ponytail and a few strands of hair frame her face; she's got a sleeveless shirt on and a pair of running shorts that end by her thigh. You shake your head as you try to clear your mind from all the thoughts that started to run wild.

"Hey." You finally say making her notice you

"Hey. Isn't it too early for you to be awake?"

"Early would be 7 a.m., but it's already 9 a.m." You clarify and she shakes her head

"Yeah, but you always wake up at 11 on Saturdays."

"You know at which hour I wake up?"

"I-I, it was the first hour that came to my mind."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever excuse you say will not be enough because I know the truth now."

"Shut it, Fields."

The conversation flows slowly as you talk of stupid things like how weird the girl from the room next door is, or about who is the better tickler of them all.

"I am the better tickler." She says for the umpteenth time and you just shake your head and point at yourself

"Nope, that's me. You'll just have to live knowing it."

"Then, I challenge you."

You know that's not a good idea. Minimum space and constant physical contact is not a good combination, but against your better judgment, you accept.

"Game on, McCullers."

Everything is just a blur of tangled limbs and loud laughter, and after minutes of fighting, you find yourself with your back against the bed and being straddled by a smirking Paige McCullers.

"Say I win." She says breathlessly and you close your eyes at her voice being huskier than usual

"You win. I surrender."

"Perfect, now, repeat after me: Oh Wonderful Tickle Master."

"Seriously?" The look on her face at your response tells you she is not joking, so you just go with it.

"Oh Wonderful Tickle Master."

"You are the best of the best."

"Is that even correct?"

"Don't question me, just repeat it."

"You are the best of the best."

"I will never doubt your superiority again."

"I will never, umm, doubt your superiority again."

"See? It wasn't that difficult." she says with a smile and you can't help but smile back

Suddenly, when she shifts a little, you are reminded of the position you are in.

"Paige?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you... let go of me?"

The look in her face is priceless and she lets go of you in a second, but when she tries to stand up, her left foot gets tangled with yours and you both fall out of the bed.

You feel the air being knocked out of her as you fall on top of her. You both grunt at the impact, but you both start laughing as soon as you look at each other. Your body shakes with laughter and you look at her through half-lidded eyes. And out of nowhere, you kiss her.

You stay still for some seconds and you smile as she starts kissing you back. But soon after, she's gently pushing you off. She forces you off of her and you stare at her until you realize your mistake as you see her expression. You are both on your feet in a second and she scoots away from you.

"Paige, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." You say gently while trying to touch her shoulder, but she flinches at your attempt

"I… I'll see you later." And with that, she leaves you alone with your thoughts

* * *

A/N: Tomorrow I'm going to Florida and I'll be there for a week, so I won't be able to update, but I promise you that as soon as I get back, I'll write another chap. Until then, take care, guys.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, I'm finally back. Thanks you all who reviewed and wished me luck in FL. Now, many of you have asked for longer chapters and I am really trying to make them longer, but in order to do that, I would have to update weekly because I don't have much time to write every day. Tell me what you think.

Without further ado, enjoy the chap.

* * *

You haven't really talked to Paige since the kiss. Technically, you _have _talked, but talking about the weather and homework isn't actually a legit conversation. You thought that her avoiding you would be impossible since you are roommates, but seemingly there are tons of extracurricular activities in UPenn that manage to keep her busy all day long so that you aren't even able to actually see her some days.

The girls are preoccupied and so are you. The amount of time Paige spent with you has been reduced drastically and every time the girls try to come up with the reason, you feel guilty knowing the truth of her behavior.

You shouldn't have kissed her in the first place. It was irrational and stupid. There are countless of reasons why you shouldn't have done it. Reasons like her having a girlfriend and your still unrevealed sexuality. But you know that all these lingering glances and unsaid words between you two aren't going to stop even because you want her with every ounce of your body.

And you shouldn't want her. You shouldn't have done that to her because even though you actually liked the kiss even if it just lasted for seconds, you still don't know how it feels about it.

She must hate you, and she is in all her right to do so.

But still, there's no way in hell you will ever forget that kiss and something in her eyes tells you she won't either.

The only problem is that you don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.

* * *

Your bag makes a big thud as you drop it besides you.

Today you finally met Coach Fulton and to say that she made you work hard to repay the lost time while she was away is an understatement. Your whole body aches; heck, even your mind does. As soon as practice ended you wanted to get away from everything and spend the rest of the day resting, but Coach had something else in mind as she called you to her office.

You were surprised by the call back, but you were even more surprised when you heard Paige being called back too.

You are at the edge of your seat the whole time the Coach talks. You try to focus on what she is saying, but you can't due to the fast beating of your heart as your hand brushed with Paige's when she reached for her bag.

"Do you accept?" you finally hear Coach Fulton say and you nod even if you don't have any idea of what she was talking about

"Then it's settled, you two are now co-captains or the team. I expected better times from you in this season. You are excused, girls" she motions the exit with her hands and it takes you some seconds to finally stand up

You turn around to see Paige talking to you but you can't focus in anything but her perfect… everything. She continues to look at you expectantly because she seemingly asked you something, so you just nod.

Co-captain. You are co-captain with Paige and that means you'll have to spend time together both in the pool and outside.

_Great. Just great. _You mutter to yourself as you make the move to grab your duffel bag and then realize it isn't there. You have a moment of blind panic until you hear her voice.

"Emily?" Paige says with a confused tone of voice

"Y-Yeah?" You reply trying to sound as normal as possible

"I already have your bag." She says with a lazy smile and you realize that's what she asked you before

You blush as both Coach and Paige stare at you, so you mumble a quick goodbye to the former and thanks to the latter as you step out of the office.

Paige hands you your bad and you walk in silence towards your room stealing short glances every three seconds. She seems to notice, but doesn't say anything. When you are just outside the building she stops dead in her tracks and stands there for some seconds.

"Paige, what's wrong?" you ask as you place your hand in her shoulder

Realization sinks in as she looks at you and then dips her head.

"Paige, I-"

"I can't, Emily." She says effectively cutting you off and making you lose your breath

"Paige-"

"No, let me finish, please." She pleads you and you just stare at her sadly knowing her feeling like this is your entire fault

"I like you, Emily. There's something about you that makes me… feel. And don't get me wrong, I do feel something with Carly. But with you, there's this indescribable feeling every time I look at you, but…"

"But?" you ask with the same pleading tone she used before

"I can't do that to her, Emily. To Carly." She continues and you swallow loudly at her words

"I know, Paige, but you seriously can't ask me to just forget all of this." Your voice cracks at the end of the sentence

"Emily, you have to. _We _have to." She says glancing to the ground and you do the same

"I want you, Paige. I feel the same way you feel about me and I know that if you give me a chance we can work it out."

She huffs and shakes her head making your huff yourself.

"What?" you say crossing your arms defensively

"How can you ask me trust you? I bet you aren't even out to the girls. Heck, I bet you haven't even come to accept it yourself."

"I… I have accepted it." You mutter as you look at the ground knowing that if you looked at her your whole charade would fall down

"Well then, say it. Say it out loud. That you are gay. That you want _me_ and not some boy. That you are willing to admit what you feel."

She makes the move to take your hand but you pull away as you hear some students walking by.

"Wow, Fields, I never took you for a coward after that stunt of kissing me." She mutters shaking her head with a sad smile

"Paige, I want to. I mean, I-"

"I know, I know. You are afraid. I know that feeling. I was afraid once, too. And I really hope you'll be able to get over that fear one day." The hurt in her voice is obvious and you feel like kicking yourself for making her feel that way

"I knew you wouldn't do it. It was all too good to be true." She says while turning away from you

"How can you ask me to do that? You've said it yourself, how difficult it is, how much it hurts to accept something like that. It's not like I don't want to accept it, it's just that I can't do it that quickly."

"How can you ask me to leave everything, to leave her, with the uncertainty of you backing down in any second? I can't go back to that place, Em. To hiding, to being afraid. Carly is there for me. I don't need to hide my relationship with her. She… She isn't afraid of holding my hand."

She talks some steps away from you before she turns around again.

"Besides, I love her."

"Yeah, I know you do. But I also know you like me more than you 'love' her."

The moment the words leave your mouth you are sorry, and the look of utter heartbreak makes you regret them even more.

She says nothing more as she walks away leaving you standing there. You have never felt lonelier in your whole life.

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked the chapter guys, sorry for not updating before. I was planning to update yesterday, but I wasn't able to because of the feelings. If any of you are Gleeks, stay strong, guys.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hey guys, how is it going? I hope you enjoyed last chapter and thanks to everyone who subscribed, favorited the story and reviewed. As I've said before, I'm trying to write longer chapters to make you all anchors happy. I appreciate your feedback and hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Without much further ado, enjoy.

* * *

Paige moved out.

She told you she had discussed things with Aria and they decided to trade places with the excuse of it being a 'win-win situtation for the four of you. So now, Aria is your roomate and Paige and Carly can finally have some 'alone time', as Hanna calls it. The only good thing that has happened because of that is that Paige is no longer avoiding you or the girls so you can finally hang out without them being suspicious.

Moving on from that, one of the perks of growing up in Rosewood is knowing some of the most influential families of the state. And that includes the Kahns. Now, you've never been one for parties (not even Noel Kahn's ones) and to say that you've been sort of depressed since your talk with Paige is an understatement. But the girls have managed to convince you that some fresh air could do marvels to you after mopping around in your room spending your days scrolling down on tumblr and watching season after season of Grey's Anatomy.

And besides, it's just some blocks away from campus, so there's really no excuse for you not to go.

So that's the reason why you currently find yourself tugging at the hem of your dress in a futile attempt to cover yourself from the leering eyes of both boys and girls as you walk side by side with your best friends. Noel has outdone himself with this party and you are happy you agreed to come because despite the creepers, you've managed to have a good time.

"See, Em? I told you this party would be awesome." Hanna says nudging your shoulder and you grin at her

"Yeah, Han. This time I can accept that you were right." You admonish and laugh as Hanna throws her fist in the air in celebration

"Hanna, stop it. You are only attracting more attention."Spencer scolds her with a frown

"Come on Spence, don't be a party pooper. That's what parties are about, attracting _all _the attention you can. And besides, that boy you told us about, Toby, I think? Hasn't stopped looking at you since we arrived." Hanna exclaims with a smug smile

Spencer wastes no time in fixing her hair and you all laugh at her antics. You spend some more time joking and goofing around, and you think that this is exactly what you needed. Hang out with your friends in order to forget about _her_.

That is until your eyes are diverged inevitably to the object of your affection.

There she is, in all her glory. With some black boots accompanied by skinny jeans, a simple white shirt and a black vest but looking perfect despite the simplicity of it all. She's surrounded by people you recognize from your classes while Carly just stands beside her with their hands intelocked. They look happy. _She _looks happy. And it hurts you more than it should. And it's just like a movie, because in that moment, she looks up and her eyes find yours.

You forget how to breathe for a moment, and a mix of happiness and longing makes it way from the pit of your stomach as she smiles. But it all goes away as you see Carly take her face in her hands and kisses her. Your hands turn into fists and you now feel anger at the sight of her. It's Carly's turn to look your way and something in her eyes tell you she _knows_.

"Emily, breathe." Spencer says while placing a hand in your shoulder startling you

You open your mouth but nothing comes out of it.

"Seriously, it looked like you were about to drag Carly all the way ou-"

"Hanna!" Both Spencer and Aria cut her off and she just crosses her arms

"What? It's the truth!" she mumbles angrily and you blink in confusion

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you can just shout it out." Spencer berates her

Silence reigns until you finally find your voice.

"Girls, I-I like- I am... gay."

"We get it, Em." Aria says soothingly as you struggle with words

"We accept you, Em. We understand." Spencer adds with a smile and you try to process the words

"Yeah! You are still Em. You just dig girls now. No biggie." Hanna voices and you smile at them

"I... Thank you, girls. Really." you whisper as the girls hug you tightly

"Well, _hello, _girls." the voice takes you out of your bubble and you break out of the hug

"_Noel._" Aria deadpans eliciting a smirk from the boy

"A pleasure to see you all here." he says while running his eyes over the four of you

"_Charming. _As always." Spencer says sarcastically

"You know me well, Hastings. Now, you'll have to excuse me. I have a really important beer pong game to attend."

"I bet." Hanna snickers under her breath and you giggle at Noel's expression

"Oh, before I forget. Looking really good tonight, Fields." he drawls out and you feel repulsed as he smirks at you

"In your dreams, Kahn." you mock him with a smirk of you own

"I know. And I am looking forward to it." he leaves and the girls snicker as you cross your arms defensively over your chest

"He has outdone you this time, _Fields_." Spencer jokes and you grunt in response

"Just ignore him, Em. Let's just enjoy this party!" Hanna hoots and every thought of her goes out of the window as the girls and you decide to make the most of the night

* * *

You should have said no when Hanna offered you that drink, knowing better than anyone how you can't hold your alcohol. But against your better judgment, you downed drink after drink with the excuse of having a good time.

Spencer left as soon as Toby asked her to dance and Aria disappeared with the excuse of a drink. So it's just you and Hanna, but knowing her, she's waiting for the perfect moment to go find Caleb.

"Come on, Em. Ain't you having fun?" Hanna slurs and you'd smack her in the head if you had enough strength and coordination to do so

"Yeah, I guess." you say with a shrug and you feel Hanna's eyes scrutinizing you

"She hasn't told her, you know?" Hanna says calmly and you look at her in disbelief

"What?"

"Paige. She hasn't told Carly 'I love you' and all that mushiness. Carly has, but she says she's not sure. She likes you Em. It's painfully obvious." she adds and you gulp nervously

"I have to pee." you blurt out

"Seriously, Em? I've just told you she likes you back and you freak out on me?"

"I _really _have to go, Han. I'm sorry."

"Go get your girl, Em!" she encourages you and you just shake your head as you make your way towards the bathroom

The alcohol starts having it's desired effect making your head spin. You bump into people and it feels like you've walked for hours when you finally see the bathroom door. But before you can reach it, a pair of hands tug at yours making you face the person you never thought you'd see again.

"Emily, nice meeting you here." Ben says while flashing one of his bright smile and you grimace as his hands keep you in place

"Ben. What are you doing here?"

"The same as you: having a good time."

"You know what I mean, you aren't from around here."

"I know, but Noel told me about this party and I decided to make time to come and see you all."

As he finishes the sentence, he replaces his hands so they are in your waist but you slap them away, finally managing to break out of his grip. He reacts quickly and pushes you against the wall behind you. The impact makes your head spin and everything is blurry once again.

You struggle and try to get away but his death grip on you makes it look like you'll never be able to get away.

"Let go of me."

"Come on, Em. We both know you missed me." he whispers by your ear and before it can get any worse, a voice you recognize as hair comes to your rescue

"By the look on her face, she didn't miss you. At all."

You both turn around to find Paige there, with her arms crossed and with a big frown across her face.

"It's none of your business. Leave us alone." he growls and finally lets go of you only to step in front of Paige

"You ain't going to get rid of me that easily." she counters back taking a step closer to Ben

Just before things can get physical, another voice breaks the moment.

"Is there a problem here?" Noel inquires as you three turn around to face him

Paige turns back to look at Ben and the glare itself is enough to make him back down.

"Not at all." Ben mutters angrily and Paige smirks at his words

"That's what I hoped to hear. Come on, mate." he signals him with his head that that's his cue to leave and Ben just grunts in response

"Whatever. See you later, _Emily._" the way he says your name makes you shiver and you just stay silent as the boys retreat.

After some seconds you take a step towards her, but you lose your footing in the way there. Paige reacts quickly and she steadies you placing her hands in your waist making you feel butterflies in your stomach at the contact.

"Thanks." you finally say as you smile at Paige

"No problem." she replies sincerely and it takes all of your self control not to kiss her right there

A loud cough makes you break apart and you turn around to find a very pissed off Carly in front of you.

Paige tries to say something, but the stern look in Carly's face makes her a mumbling mess.

"I... Carly." she finally manages to choke out and as her hands leave your waist you find yourself missing them already

Before Carly can talk, the girls appear all of the sudden and you almost sigh in relief.

"Hey." you say weakly trying to break the tension

You all stay motionless for a moment until Hanna opens her mouth and both Spencer and Aria cover her mouth before she can voice her thoughts.

Carly is shooting daggers at you and you squirm a little as she clears her throat.

"Come on, Em. I think it's time we headed out." Spencer speaks up and tugs at your arm taking you away from Carly's glare

"What? This party is just getting started!" Hanna whines

"Shut up, Hanna." Spencer whispers softly and you can barely hear her

"See you later, guys." Aria says cheerful but manages a soft grunt from Carly and a weak 'bye' from Paige

When you get to the door, you can still see Paige and Carly fightning.

"By the looks of it, Carly is really, _really _pissed." Hanna whistles under her breath and you all nod

After some other seconds of watching them, you finally exit the house.

The 5 minutes walk to campus is dead silent and you are somehow grateful. After wishing goodnight to Spencer and Hanna, Aria and you make your way towards your room.

Aria opens the door for you and seconds after you've stepped in, you voice what's on your mind.

"I kissed her." you say out loud for the first time making Aria face you

Her face has a mix of understanding and shock and you continue before she can talk.

"It was wrong, but so _right _at the same time. She... I hurt her. I shouldn't have kissed her, I know, but I can't help it." you say lightly, your eyes fixated on the ground

"A-And all these feelings... they terrify me because I don't know what to do." You finish your ranting with tears in your eyes, voice barely audible

After some seconds, you finally lift your gaze and meet Aria's. She doesn't say anything, but she hugs you tight until you stop crying. Sharing a smile, she places a hand in your shoulder as you let out a soft 'Thank You'. Aria may not speak out much, but she has always been there for you.

Minutes later, lying in bed, you can't help but wonder what Paige is feeling right now, if she and Carly are okay and more importantly, if she feels the same.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hey guys, thanks for reviewing and all that stuff. I hope you like this story and where it's heading to. The destination is Paily, obviously, but there will be some difficulties before we get there (and after we get there, of course).

Anyways, I see all these people reading and all but not many of you review. I would be really happy if you did so, so think about it. With nothing left to say, enjoy (:

* * *

"Spill, McCullers." Spencer says after taking a sip from her coffee making Paige choke on her own

"Woah, Spence, that was harsh even for you." Hanna comments as Aria pats Paige's back helping her breathe in

You watch the interaction closely and in silence, the same way you have done since you got here. You haven't talked to Paige other than a shy 'Good morning' in response to her own and you are dying to know how things are going between her and Carly.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." she reassures Aria with a smile

"Well? How are things with 'she who must not be named'" Spencer urges her and you smirk at Spencer's nickname for Carly

"For the last time, Spence, her name is Carly. And besides, why do you suddenly call her that? You didn't call her that two days ago." Paige points out shielding her eyes for a moment from the harsh sun. You knew you should have taken a table indoors.

"Well, for your information, Paige, I've always called her that; just not in your prescence." Spencer says matter-of-a-factly and you almost laugh when Paige looks at Aria, Hanna and you for comfirmation

"It's true, Paige." Hanna admits and Aria and you just nod

"Wow, that's really nice of you, Spence. Giving my _girlfriend_ a mean nickname." Paige huffs in annoyance and you cringe at the sound of the word 'girlfriend'

You had your hopes up thinking they would have broken up by now, and seemingly, you weren't the only one, since the three girls all look at her in shock.

"Well, that's surprising, to say the least." Spencer admits and you can just stare at Paige

"So... Tell us, how are things with sh-" Hanna begins to say but Paige cuts her off before she can say Carly's nickname again

"Things between _Carly _and I are fine, guys." Paige says harshly emphasizing Carly's name

"Wow, no need to be mean." Aria chimes in and earns herself a frown from Paige

"Seriously? After you have admitted referring to Carly by... that." Paige trails off angrily

"Point taken." Spencer says with a smirk making Paige's frown even bigger

"But still, I don't believe you, McCullers." She adds

"What can't you believe, Hastings?" Paige asks crossing her arms

"That you and Carly are... what did you say? Oh, right, that you are 'fine'." Spencer quotes and you see Paige struggling with something

"Well, believe it, because we are." Paige almost growls while standing up and you are taken aback by the anger in her voice

"Oh really? I don't think so. All the signs say your relationship is going from bad to worse." Spencer says matching Paige's intensity and stands up continuing her speech. "She was totally pissed off in that party just because Em and you were getting reall-"

"Guys, stop!" Aria half-whispers, half-yells but neither Paige or Spencer obey.

"No, let her finish. Really what, Spencer? Tell me, I'm all ears." Paige growls daringly and the look in Spencer's eyes tells you she won't back down

"Cozy. You both looked so comfortable she even hesitated in interrupting. She knows how you feel." Spencer says while pointing at you and you try to hide behind your mug

"No, you are wrong, I'm happy with her." Paige mumbles shaking her head lightly

"Oh really? You say you are happy? That's bullshit, and you know it." You blink in surprise at Spencer's choice of words

"It isn't... I... I..."

"You what, Paige? You can't even tell her you love her!"

"But I do!"

"If you really loved her, you wouldn't have acted that way in the party."

"Which way?"

"Guilty. When she found you with Em you looked _so _guilty I bet your ass she thought you were cheating on her." Before Spencer herself or any of you can stop her she opens her mouth again. "Or maybe, who knows? Maybe you already have."

The moment Spencer says those words you know she's sorry. The mix of emotions on Paige's face is heartbreaking and you know she has realized she's hit a nerve.

"Paige... I-" Spencer whispers softly

"I'm sorry, but I'm forced to ask you to either stop arguing or leave." A soft voice behind you says taking you out of the trance and you all turn around

"That won't be a problem, I was already leaving." Paige mutters to the girl sourly and before any of you can make a move, she pays for her coffee and leaves.

Spencer tries to run after her, but Aria grabs her softly by the wrist.

"Don't. She needs to cool off." The tiny brunette explains and Spencer nods in acceptance

"I think I'll get going, guys. I told Caleb I'd meet him in half and hour." Hanna voices out after a second and bids farewell

"Me too, I've got to think of a way to ask for forgiveness." Spencer mutters softly and leaves without waiting for a response

"Well, I guess we can just head to our room?" Aria questions and you smile at her

"I think I'll stick around for a while."

"Okay then, if you need anything, you know where to find me."

You smile at her retreating form and when she's out of sight, you let out a loud groan in frustration.

"Tough day, huh?" Says the same girl that interrupted you before.

You can finally look at her and the sight takes your breath away. Her black raven hair cascades down her shoulders, complimenting her slightly tanned skin and her baby blue eyes. She's got a lean body and the thing that takes your breath away the most is her smile.

"You bet." You mumble in response and you see her struggling

"I'm Emily." You introduce yourself and apparently that's what she was thinking about

"Samantha." she says while pointing at her name tag with a dorky smile. "but you can just call me Sam; just don't let my boss hear you." She adds with a dopey smile and you smile back at her

"Why is that?"

"Well, I'm supposed to only talk to customers when they give me their order or when they need something. But I'm making an exception with you." She says coyly and you blush under her gaze

"You ain't going to ask why?" She asks after some seconds and you giggle softly

"I'm sorry, why?"

"Because I want you to be more than just a customer." she flirts while lifting her eyebrows goofily and you let out a laugh

"Is that the pick-up line you use with all the girls?" You ask while smiling at her

"What? Of course no! I have just invented it! Was it that bad?"

"Calm down, Sam. I was joking, it was a really cleve pick-up line." You reassure her and she smiles again making your heart flutter a little

"Well, then, did it work?"

"Maybe." You say bashfully

"Oh, come on. I'm trying here!" She groans lightly and you laugh

"Okay, okay, it did." You admit and her reaction makes you laugh even more.

"Yes." She says throwing her fist into the air

"My shift ends in 10 minutes, if you'd like to, I don't know, hang out or something." She adds shyly

"Yeah, I'd like that."

The moment ends as someone coughs behind you. A man is standing there with his arms crossed and you see Sam straighten her back.

"So, I heard the muffins here are great." You say and the smile reappears at the words

"The best." She affirms

Her boss (at least you think he is) looks satisfied and leaves.

"Oh god, thank you." She whispers in relief

"No prob. So... About those muffins, could you please bring me two chocolate chip ones?"

"Two? Is your friend coming back?" She asks with a hint of sadness in her voice

"No, you silly, one for you and one for me." The smile that makes its way to Sam's face makes your heart flutter once more

"Coming up, ma'am!" She announces cheerfully and you laugh at her antics.

* * *

"I had a really good time, Emily." Sam says as she walks you to your door

You spent all day with her, talking about both silly things and sreious things, and to say you had a blast is an understatement.

Sam's a really great person to be around, with the prefect amount of funny and mature that makes you swoon. You've enjoyed her company so much your day completely turned from being one if the worst to one of best of your life.

"Me too." You say truthfully

"Say, would you like to... go out on a date with me? Only if you want to." She trails off and you smile at her

"Wasn't this a date?" Her whole face lits up from your words making you nervous, but the good kind of nervous

"I don't know, dates usually end differently..." She flirts taking a step forward until your noses are almost touching and you blush at the closeness

"Oh really? Then show me." You whisper softly

"Your wish is my command." She whispers back and a second later, her lips are on yours.

They are soft and sweet, and you feel the carefulness of her touch as if she was afraid you would break or disappear if she kissed you with too much force. It's perfect and it leaves you wanting more, so you thread your hands through her head in a attempt to deepen the kiss. The move catches her off of guard making her gasp, so you take the chance and plunge your tongue into her mouth. She gets the hint, so she leans her body softly against yours straddling you carefully against the wall.

You moan softly at the feel of her tongue, and pull her in closer. You feel her hands on your waist playing with the hem of your shirt, but before anything else can happen, the door to your room is opened making you break away from the kiss.

"Emily! You are here!" Hanna exclaims with faked surprise

"Hey." you say grumpily and you step away from the wall and take Sam's hand dragging her along with you

"Who is this girl here?" Sener questions, eyebrow raised

"Wait, I know her! She's the girl from the coffee shop!" Hanna utters before you can tell Spencer

"Yep, that's me." Sam says with a smile

"Her name is Sam." you state with anger

The girls ignore your words and introduce themselves. Sam smiles at each one of them as they do so and you almost smile too; her smile is infectious.

"Great to meet you all. I'd like to stick around, but I've got to go. See you tomorrow, Em?"

"Yeah, sure. Meet you at the end of your shift?"

"Sure thing, bye girls." with that, Sam is gone, leaving you with your three best friends full of questions

You have just taken a step in and they are already asking things.

"What is going on with you, Emily?!" Spencer says bewilderedly

"About what?" You snap at her and she groans

"That girl, what's the deal with her?" Spencer snaps back and you flinch at her harsh tone

"Didn't you see them, Spencer? They were totally making out." Hanna says and Aria elbows her on the ribs effectively silencing her

"I like her." You say with a shrug

"We've noticed, it's just that-" Aria speaks up but you interrupt her

"It's just that what? I like her and she likes me back, you should be happy for me." You huff angrily and you cross your arms

"Yeah, but just think for a second, Emily. You were about to get to second base, Em. Yeah, she looks nice and all, but still, you've just met the girl. Also, what about Paige?"

Paige. The name hits you hard and everything comes crashing down. The whole day feels so wrong and so right because thanks to Sam, you forgot all about Paige.

'Way to go, Fields.' you reprimand yourself as you try to make sense of it all.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading guys, until next chap.


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